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Saturday, March 14, 2009

Brier: is this the best ever?

Question: could this Brier be on its way to becoming, possibly, the greatest ever?

Some guys named Stoughton and Gushue just crashed the Martin-Howard VIP access-only lounge with a scintillating display of playoff curling (CCA photo by Michael Burns).

High drama came down to a stunning conclusion when Jeff Stoughton, staring down a determined Newfoundland comeback attempt (a deuce in the seventh and then double steals in eight and nine) called and made a wild angle-raise double for two and stuck it for the win... which went to a measurement.

In a reversal of the 2005 Olympic Trials final, in which the Stoughton squad started shaking hands with the Gushues while awaiting for the golden measurement – which confirmed Gushue’s Olympic history-to-be at Turin 2006 – this time it was the Newfoundlanders who offered their hands to the Bisons, while awaiting the results of the measurement.

The Manitobans fired 86 per cent as a team compared to Newfoundland’s 83. Stoughton sizzled at 91 per cent – no doubt earning the famous five-out-of-four bonus on his last throw – while Gushue sizzled only slightly less, at 88 per cent.

The ’Tobans went completely crazy after The Shot (II) was made.

Manitoba now moves on to battle Ontario in tonight’s semifinal.

Hoo-boy! Wotta Brier!

Here’s how the live CurlingZone chat module described the action. Can anyone guess which chatter:

a) entered the chatroom just seconds after The Shot (II)?b) is not in Calgary?andb) is also missing the TV coverage?

[CurlingZone Chat]: Posada has entered at 1:28 pm[t42] 1:29 pm: They don’t believe it[t42] 1:29 pm: they are stunned[Donr] 1:29 pm: measure for win???[t42] 1:29 pm: Jeff’s face[Jetboots] 1:29 pm: woo[t42] 1:29 pm: omg[Posada] 1:29 pm: What's happening!!!!! Just got here Aiighhh[t42] 1:29 pm: its mb[t42] 1:29 pm: but NL would be stupid not to measure[Donr] 1:29 pm: we hope lol[Jetboots] 1:29 pm: nice shot[Posada] 1:29 pm: WHAT WHAT WHAT WHAT[CurlingZone Chat]: hack scruber has entered at 1:29 pm[Jetboots] 1:30 pm: not over yet[t42] 1:30 pm: oh my -[Posada] 1:30 pm: JB - TALK TO ME!!![t42] 1:30 pm: shaking hands before measure[Jetboots] 1:30 pm: yellow[Donr] 1:30 pm: newfies know[t42] 1:30 pm: MB take 2 and the game with a long angle double raise take out stick[Donr] 1:30 pm: wow[t42] 1:30 pm: yess[t42] 1:30 pm: That is drama[Donr] 1:31 pm: was worth the prcie of tsn lol[sandym] 1:31 pm: helluva shot[t42] 1:31 pm: Jeff was sick to stomach there from the look on his face - not sure he believed he had done it[Posada] 1:32 pm: Holy crap[t42] 1:31 pm: they didn’t sweep it all the way down did they[t42] 1:31 pm: had to do it on its own[Donr] 1:31 pm: mb in tough tonight[Donr] 1:32 pm: might require some more praying to the curling gods[Posada] 1:33 pm: WHY AM I NOT THERE AIIGGHHARRGH *smash* *bang* *crash* YEEARRGHHHH